Written by Bill Ablondi, Director, Home Systems Research
Michael Kanellos, a respected observer of what's going on in residential energy management asked this question in reference to iControl's new round of funding. We'll have several opportunities to hear views from a variety of perspectives on this subject at CONNECTIONS. I think some consumers will pay for services beyond the triple and quad play offerings currently available. At our Smart Energy Workshop we'll be presenting results of a segmentation analysis designed to identify the characteristics of consumers willing to pay for residential energy management solutions -- including services such as those the iControl, 4Home (Motorola Mobility), AlertMe and Alarm.com platforms (just to name a few) enable. Early Thursday I'll share the results of some early assessments of "5th Play" opportunities. Then, we'll hear from Verizon's Eric Bruno on the subject after which I have the privledge of hosting a panel asking the question: How do Service Providers Maximize the Connected Home? I expect to hear some insightful answers to the question.
Bottom Line: Yes, consumers will pay ... for the right value propostion. What do you think?
Written by Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates
How strong is the lifestyle effect of controlling energy consumption, lighting and access control through mobile and IP connected devices?" Our team at Parks Associates has quantified, by way of three consumer surveys, the impact of saving energy costs. This has proven to be a compelling motivator for some sizable portion of broadband households who say energy cost savings warrants action, however I believe that the lifestyle conveience of controlling home HVAC, turning off lights, opening doors for repair persons or friends may be a stronger motivator. The lifestyle/convenience factor offered via mobile apps is something that consumers will pay additional monthly fees to have. When added to energy cost savings, how does this motivator affect the demand curve and revenue possibilities for this service?
